[Publib] Possible scam

[Tom Cooper]

It's not so much a scam as a high pressure sales tactic that skirts the
boundaries of ethical behavior. Their 'plan B,' once you say no, is to
call again and try to get someone else on the phone who will fall for
it. They'll say something like, 'You always get our publications, we
just need to confirm the shipping address.' Sometimes it works, because
the person they get doesn't know that by offering the address, they have
just placed an order. That's why it's important to talk to everyone who
answers phones and make sure they understand that absolutely anything
dealing with ordering must be referred to whoever is responsible for
acquisitions or collection development. 

Tom Cooper, Director
Webster Groves Public Library
301 E. Lockwood
Webster Groves, MO 63119

(314) 961-3784
tcooper at wgpl.org

Do not judge beliefs by their plausibility, but by the harm they may do.
                                             Nassim Nicholas Taleb
-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Julie Rinaldi
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:16 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Possible scam

Has anyone else received a call from a publisher (Oxford something, I
think), insisting your library has bought "all" of its publications in
the past and wanting to send a new reference set for review?  The woman
told me we had purchased "Reference Library of Black American Men" and
"Reference Library of Black American Women" from this publisher, neither
of which is in our collection.  She insisted we had taken books from the
publisher on review before, which is a practice we don't follow, having
been burned once before.  I had to tell her no several times, after she
questioned our policy.  Just a heads up on a possible scam.


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